For fans of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, is it really Halloween if you haven’t re-watched Season 4 Episode 2, I am Ashamed? Or at a minimum watched the song, The Cringe on Youtube, only to find yourself spiraling down a black hole binging every song all the whilst vowing to re-watch Season 1-4?

Although the last episode aired in April 2019, the series will continue to be a strong fan favorite due to the immense talent from content to costumes. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is the love child of dynamic duo Rachel Bloom and Aline Brosh McKenna with the Costumes Designed by Melina Root. While many of Root’s designs on show are certainly fodder for Halloween Costumes, Episode 2 of Season 4 is where the bare bones truth is apparent, everyone else’s skeleton costumes will forever appear basic in comparison.

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is a Romantic Musical Comedy about the life of Rebecca Bunch (played brilliantly by Rachel Bloom). Rebecca decides to leave her prestigious job at a New York law firm after a chance encounter with Josh Chan, her teenage summer camp boyfriend of two months. Bunch impulsively decides to coincidently relocate to sunny West Covina, California to start a new life, it just so happens that it is also where Josh lives.

In the Episode, I am Ashamed, we are given Office Antics, Seayonce shenanigans, Black Market Breast Milk and the best Anthem giving insight to what truly keeps everyone awake at night.

It is hard to articulate how ingenious the show and costumes of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend truly are. Root’s expert artistry can not only be appreciated in the song specific costumes that ranged from wacky, obscure, creative, and period themed but also the everyday contemporary clothing worn by the cast members. Blending her theatre and television Design backgrounds, two time Emmy Award-winning Costume Designer, Melina Root found a realistic way to translate the Zanny Costume Ideas into reality.

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The attention to detail by Root and her team in The Cringe‘s skeleton costumes is perfection. It will continue to be everyone’s inspiration for future skeleton design, cosplay, and Halloween creations. The bodices not only contain the same bone print as the matching the leggings but the black tulle at the bust flows seamlessly with the ripped underskirts and the detailing behind the skulls in the hoop skirt. The Female look is finished off with the skeleton gloves, jewelry, and hair clip. Although you can only see the back for less than a split second it too includes the bone print, Root’s design covering every minor detail. The tie & suit worn by the security guard, played by Patton Oswald is as engaging as the dancing women beside him. Root has given new meaning to the term cringe-worthy.

This episode also showcases Root’s creativity in the everyday Halloween costumes the characters wear. A few highlights include Snailor Swift, All the Sexy Things (worn all together), Katy Bear-y, Thomas Jefferson, Vampire, Baby Detective and Its all Peachy.

The release of the series on Netflix has indoctrinated new fans into the fold, re-igniting the love for the series and clever and innovative costumes.

If you would like to interact with fans who love the show, then the Facebook Group Crazy Ex-girlfriend Fans is the place. It is a mixture of original and new fans discussing, dissecting, and professing obsession for the entire series, Especially the costumes. There is even a bracket created in October for members to vote for their favorite Costume Design in a Musical Number. With the poll closing at the beginning of November, I am excited to find out which costume comes out on top.

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If you have not watched the show then I would strongly suggest not mentioning that in the vicinity of anyone who has. If you do, it is almost certain that they will suck you into the vortex by playing numerous song videos until you swear to watch an episode. If you don’t believe me, just ask my co-workers. Even my Broadway obsessed, 11 year old, daughter is a Crazy Ex-Girlfriend superfan in the making. Despite her numerous pleas, she loves the show while never having watched an episode (due to the mature content and themes). She has, however, watched several of the songs from the series and has insisted that we recreate Melinda Root’s skeleton costumes for next year’s Halloween.

The Art of Television Costume Design at FIDM in October 2019 via Melina Roots Instagram (Top) Behind the seams (below)

An entire series could be written about the show and its costumes but I will leave you with Melina Root’s brilliant design for the Sexy Cactus. While it does not appear in the same episode, it certainly deserves an honorable mention as it is the intro to the song Love Kernels. Congratulations to Rachel Bloom who gave birth during the Pandemic. We hope your little one is giving you many Love Kernels, as the song can also be an apt description for life with an infant.

If you can’t get enough of the show, the cast reunited via Zoom in July and September for Stars in the House. (Part 1 and Part 2)